Bettina Hoffmann
Catalogue of Solo and Chamber Music for Viola da Gamba
author
anonymous
work information
Premiere suitte in D major for pardessus de viole (?) and bass
manuscript
manuscript
scoring
pv + b
where
further information
notes
Claude-François Rameau who wrote the indication "M.r Rameau fils" on the frontespice, was most probably the owner, not the composer of the suite.
The intended instrument of the upper part, written in treble clef, is not explicitly indicated. The presence of a vibrato sign in the Prélude and – more weakly – a movement La Forcray point to a viola da gamba instrument; the overall range (g-e’’’) to a pardessus de viole. Some chords are playable on a pardessus with 5 strings, but others are not; they would be possible with the 6-string tuning proposed by Thomas Marc. The viola d’amore or the quinton of the violin family cannot be excluded.
The intended instrument of the upper part, written in treble clef, is not explicitly indicated. The presence of a vibrato sign in the Prélude and – more weakly – a movement La Forcray point to a viola da gamba instrument; the overall range (g-e’’’) to a pardessus de viole. Some chords are playable on a pardessus with 5 strings, but others are not; they would be possible with the 6-string tuning proposed by Thomas Marc. The viola d’amore or the quinton of the violin family cannot be excluded.
RISM
